Why Does America Still Imprison Young People for Life?

In the 1990s, the number of juveniles in prison rapidly increased after a study came out called “The Superpredator Script,” which described a new breed of young criminals who needed to be treated as adults. Today, there are about 250,000 American children tried as adults per year. “The United States is the only country other than Somalia that sentences kids to die in prison,” says the founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Scott Budnick (who also produced the Hangover movie franchise). In this video, he discusses the consequences of trying juvenile offenders as adults and the need for nationwide reform.

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.